Monday January 15, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) arrested three members of Hormuud Telecom's center at Tree-piano in Mogadishu on Sunday after the telecom company refused to provide financial activity information about its customers to the National Intelligence Agency.
Hormuud Telecom, the leading telecommunications company in Somalia, stated in a press release, "We refused to share customer information with the Agency, citing Article 8, Paragraph 2 of the National Security and Intelligence Law (Law No. 003), as well as Article 65, Paragraph 2 of the National Telecommunications Law (Law No. 005)."
The telecom company added that security forces engaged in disturbances and abuse of power, emphasizing that it will respond to these actions in accordance with the law.
In response, the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) explained that on December 26, 2023, Hormuud Telecom requested the Agency's assistance after facing terrorism-related issues. After conducting an investigation, NISA discovered that some of Hormuud's staff members were collaborating with and had ties to terrorist activities.
"Therefore, the Agency requested the company to conduct a search on the operation of bank accounts and EVC Plus Service, in line with Article 8, Paragraph 3 of the National Security and Intelligence Agency Law, but the company refused to cooperate and respond to the requests and dismissed the accused staff members," the Agency stated.
NISA accused the company of violating Law No. 003, Article 48 of the National Intelligence and Security Agency Law, and Law No. 007, Article 11 of the Anti-Terrorism Law. The Agency clarified that it seeks information and activities solely related to terrorists, not information about Somali citizens.
Last year, the Somali government closed approximately 250 accounts linked to militants in four banks and also shut down the network and data services of around 70 mobile phones used by militants for money transfers.
The arrest of Hormuud Telecom staff management members comes as the company itself faced attacks by unknown armed men. In December of last year, a car owned by an engineer from Hormuud Company, believed to have been planted with an improvised explosive device (IED), exploded outside his house in the Daru Salaam neighbourhood in Mogadishu. The explosion occurred just before the engineer entered the car, and fortunately, no casualties were reported.
This incident marks the 13th targeting of employees, vehicles, and facilities of the company since November 7, when the first explosions attacked two facilities in Xera Jarmal and on the outskirts of Mogadishu, as reported by BBC Somali.
No group has claimed responsibility, and Hormuud Company states that they do not know who is targeting the company and its employees.